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Many marketing principles remain the same over the years. Trust is a big one. Integrity ranks up there, too.

I work in the Raleigh, Charlotte, South Carolina and Virgina areas quite a bit. That’s local to me.  Driving the other night I was thinking about SEO and the needs of a good website.

So here’s a quick checklist for a successful website:

What’s the purpose of the site.

Define some reasons for having a site. What do you want it to accomplish?

Once you have a purpose or mission for the site, your web pages will start to fall into place.

Each page or blog post on your site should also have a purpose. There are many ways to make

each page work for a specific sub goal.

Think long term.

Plan your site so that it has the flexibility to improve and expand. All things develop in a ‘transend and include’

fashion. It is a good idea to think long term, then back up and think small and mid term as well. You never know what is

going to happen  but you can plan ahead by building in flexibility.

Choose a URL carefully.

There is much written on this topic. The latest thinking is that a url with an exact-name-title will work best. If you don’t have a name that exaclty fits your subject matter, it’s still OK.  There are ways to use SEO to work around most any issue. The name of this site breaks that ‘rule’ but it still works.

Unique

Every site is unique. Techniques and topics that work on one site will fall flat on another.

Test the market

Do some research and find the keywords that support your topic. If they don’t add up to a large enough potential audience, or are already smothered with attention you might want to expand or refine the category. You want a focus that good Search Engine Optimization can enhance for years to come. If you are thinking locally such as Raleigh or Charlotte, North or South Carolina, you will include testing that works with those parameters. Or, you could have a site that is designed for a world wide reach. There are situations where  both are viable on the same site..

Set a Budget that works.

What good is making a great movie if nobody knows about it? Just so, a successful website is a process. There are many forms it can take, from posted brochure on the web to an interactive hub. Some sites cost thousands to maintain and some are literally free. The general rule is similar to standard business. Quality costs but resourcefulness is still the biggest asset.

If you need a web presence  talk to a professional for clarification on the  options. I was driving from Raleigh to Charlotte the other night listening to the radio thinking how the term SEO didn’t exist a few years ago. Today, billboards are digital and you can email from a phone.

Marketing has changed dramatically and  the new ways of doing things can be confusing. The good news is- sound marketing principles remain.

For SEO  from North Carolina to Washington State, Europe to Asia,

every website deserves a unique linking strategy.

It’s no secret that strong links make a strong website show up prominently in the search engines.

But one link size does not fit all.

Old Dog, Old Tricks=Good Dog

Marketing has always worked this way so why would the new technologies be different? They aren’t.

There are lots of companies cropping up all over the world who’s offer is to build a certain number of links for any site for a set price.  You should know that an offer like that is a warning sign.

Spare a Dime?

Yes, some sites are so weak and so small that any one-size-fits all linking strategy will help. But that’s not our goal is it? To have a small, shallow site and keep it that way with small, shallow links?

Good Old, Down Home, North Carolina SEO

Like all things in business, integrity wins in the end.  Of course there are plenty of examples of quick, big wins like lottery winnings that create a huge celebration only to fizzle quickly. The same is true for website links.

A strong linking strategy rises to the top. It might take months and years but that’s the way it has always been, yes?

So the beat goes on pretty much the way it  has in the past.

Some people are looking for

• a quick fix,
• some go for a medium success…enough to get by,
• and others use the proven SEO methods that have always held up.

Off topic but…

Have you ever read one of Warren Buffet’s annual reports? They are strong and clear. Boring…maybe, but they make the case for doing things the old fashioned way. Earning it.

So, the bad news is, business strategy has not changed with the internet. And for SEO in Carolina, Singapore or Moscow,

That’s also the good news.

photo by affiliate

Today’s marketing requires the best ideas and the most innovative practices. The momentum I can offer you is only

high quality if I stay on top of the latest developments, including SEO. It just so happens that some of  the newest ideas

and the most marketing leverage is available right now on the internet. So  my search engine optimization and online

marketing skills have to be sharp.

Spend $ to Make $

Even though I spend thousands of dollars a year online,  educating myself in the newest innovations of web marketing,

experiencing the teaching and shared revelations is even better in person.

So this year’s SMX in New York was a must.

Good Answers

I learned from the best minds in the business and talked with many people about the latest

developments and breakthroughs in web marketing.

When I offer my services to a client, large or small, they need to be confident in my ability to accomplish their goals. Often in marketing we

must take chances and risks to achieve the goals we want to meet. Taking chances is , by nature, unsettling. But without risk we would never

move forward.

Marketing Risk Insurance

So how can you best mitigate your circumstances and assure yourself of the best possibility of marketing success? Here’s one way-Take

chances with people who have a proven track record.

The best any of us can do is-

• learn from the most qualified experts,
• test our work and
• make sure we are giving our best effort.

My attendance at SMX East in New York helps assure you of getting my best. It was a great experience.

SMX photo by affiliate

Can SEO for a Raleigh business be done from other locations?

Yes. I can work with you in Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro  South Carolina or Virgina.

I have clients in these regional areas and I am familiar with these markets.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization is the overall name used to describe the process of  setting up your website

to be most attractive to the search terms your customers type in Google, MSN or Yahoo.

For Example: If a customer searches for ‘ red golf balls  in raleigh’ and your site is optimized properly for ‘red golf balls ‘ in the text and other

places on your site, your site will come up as the one with ‘red golf balls’.

How do I know if my website is helping or hurting my business?

I will do an analysis of your site, goals and keywords. We can talk about your needs for the site

as it relates to your business. We will work out  a strategy to get the most from your site.

Do I even need a website?

Most likely, yes.  More and more business is heading to the web. It takes time ( months and years) to get up to speed on the web.

Even if you don’t see the need today, you should have a presence so it can be there when it is needed.

How does your service work?

I stay with your project and see it through. Web optimization can take a few months. The most succesful sites are changing all the time and they need to be looked after. Think of a great site as something like Yahoo or MSN. They change daily, sometimes hourly. Yours can be much less active but that is still the general idea. You need to have an organic site that is interactive with your audience. Not a pamphlet on the web.

What services do you offer?

I build or makeover websites and conduct optimization to make them successful for you.

I  partner with talented people to enhance your overall marketing on radio, TV, print and the web when needed.

From Charlotte to Raleigh and even the West Coast  my SEO can  help make your web site work for you 24-7, even while you are sleeping.

SEO is a fairly new service. How can I tell the good from the bad? Who can I trust?

• Many large companies are starting to offer Search engine optimization services as part of their packages. Here are a few signs to look for-
• One price fits all- usually a sign that this is not good SEO or SEM ( Search Engine Marketing) SEO is unique for each project.
• One set price simply does not cover all this kind of work. Some websites need touch ups and some need a major overhaul.Important- Money is only one bottom line with Search Engine Optimization. You want quality and a strong track record of ethical practices. Leverage is powerful but if your practices are penalized you could get in a bind money cannot easily fix.
• Many sites need months of link building with highly credible connections.

If you find a dedicated professional who will focus on your project and consistently work to reach your web goals, hire them.

You can expect to pay from one to  a few thousand dollars a month for this kind of excellence.

SEO is a new game and it is changing as the internet gets more sophisticated. There are new developments your professional must know

to give you the most effective results.  –Kyle Whitford